Packaging takes on a wide range of functions. It makes storage and transport easier, informs consumers about ingredients and nutritional values, simplifies handling and protects food from spoilage. At HALBA, we distinguish between primary, secondary and transport packaging, depending on the product and customer requirements. Primary packaging protects the product and allows consumers to use it safely. It often contains information such as ingredients and a best-before. Secondary packaging is used when additional functions that the primary packaging cannot provide are required. Transportpackaging is used to bundle larger quantities of products for storage and transport.
Suitable packaging materials are essential for ensuring the quality of our products. Tightly sealing materials such as plastic or aluminium provide optimal protection against oxygen, moisture and UV radiation. They significantly prolong the shelf life and thus play an important role in reducing food waste and conserving resources. Fibre-based packaging materials, such as cardboard or paper, also help protect the product, but they are not always suitable for direct contact with food.
Food packaging with the right protective function plays an important role in conserving resources. Using packaging that offers adequate protection can double the minimum shelf life, which in turn reduces food waste. According to the Swiss Packaging Institute (SVI), the amount of food waste in the retail trade can be reduced by 40 %, and among consumers by 80 %. Although packaging itself has an environmental footprint, it is small compared to that of the packaged food: on average, the environmental footprint of a packaged food is 16 to 30 times larger than that of the packaging itself. The protective effect of the packaging material, along with the associated reduction in food waste, is therefore of great importance from an environmental standpoint.
At the same time, we aim to use the most environmentally friendly packaging materials. HALBA defines sustainable packaging as packaging that offers optimal protection while minimising the environmental footprint. We have enshrined this principle and other requirements in our comprehensive Packaging Policy, which includes requirements for reducing packaging volumes and promoting environmentally friendly packaging solutions.
Before introducing new packaging items, we assess their environmental footprint using a life cycle calculator developed by a renowned environmental consulting firm. There are also other factors to consider when selecting suitable packaging materials. For instance, the material needs to have good machine runnability to prevent disruptions in the production process and slowing of the processing speed. The packaging material needs to be food-safe and meet the legal requirements. Another relevant factor is the extent to which the materials used can be recycled in existing recycling systems. And last but not least, the preferences of our customers also play a big part, as we are a B2B company.
We make a concerted effort to reduce the use of packaging materials wherever possible, continuously reviewing our range with a view to reducing packaging sizes, making materials thinner and eliminating multi-item packaging. In chocolate and snack production, we regularly implement initiatives in our production processes to minimise packaging waste. By way of example, we have eliminated the cardboard outer packaging for our baked goods.
HALBA has established an interdisciplinary innovation group to identify and utilise packaging alternatives at an early stage, including the identification and testing of new, more sustainable options. Additionally, it examines whether existing packaging can be further developed to be made more sustainable and meet the latest technological standards. One particular focus is the use of paper-based packaging materials – considering ecological factors such as life cycle assessment and recycling systems, as well as economic aspects such as machine runnability, product price and minimum production quantities. As a result, some of our B2B chocolates will now be packaged in paper instead of plastic.
Additionally, with support from Coop, we are collaborating with two start-ups and a Swiss University Of Applied Sciences to develop innovative, biodegradable packaging materials made from renewable raw materials.
We primarily use plastic packaging for our snack items. Paper packaging is currently unsuitable for this product category, as it doesn’t have the required material properties. One particularly important aspect here is good barrier properties to ensure effective protection against oxygen and moisture. These properties are crucial for preserving the freshness and flavour of the snacks and for preventing a deterioration in quality due to rancidity. That’s why HALBA uses plastic materials for its snack packaging. Moreover, our packaging lines can process and weld these materials efficiently, which has the advantage of making the bags resealable thanks to the integrated zips.
Monoplastics consist of only one type of plastic, such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP). Single-origin plastics are recyclable without the need for complex separation processes; the recycled material (recyclate) is of higher quality and easier to reuse – for new packaging, for example. Composite plastics, on the other hand, consist of several bonded layers of different plastics and often end up in thermal recycling (waste incineration) or low-quality recycling. We therefore use single-origin plastics wherever possible.
Our resealable zip bags are still made of composite plastic materials due to the technical requirements involved: welding the zips requires special layered structures, for which there is currently no suitable monomaterial solution. We aim to transition to monoplastics for these packaging solutions in the medium term.
